Melmoth Reconciled (eBook)

Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) was a French novelist and playwright whose work largely constitutes the sequence of novels and stories collectively called 'La Comédie Humaine.' He is known for his keen observation of detail and unfiltered representation of society, which he presented with a realism that was revolutionary in the literature of his day. Balzac's narrative style binds together disparate social strata, exploring the lives of characters ranging from the destitute to the affluent. 'Melmoth Reconciled' is one of the tales from his expansive panorama of 19th-century French life, which explores the themes of wealth, power, and redemption, often hinging on the fantastical and moral questions. A less celebrated work when compared to his monumental successes such as 'Père Goriot,' 'Eugénie Grandet,' 'Lost Illusions,' and 'Cousin Bette,' 'Melmoth Reconciled' nevertheless imparts Balzac's fascination with the consequences of excess and the pursuit of desire. A prominent member of the realist literary movement, Balzac's influence on later novelists like Emile Zola, Charles Dickens, and Marcel Proust is immeasurable, marking him as one of the pillars of modern European literature.